Retailers, hotels and restaurants nationwide expect to fill more jobs and offer significantly higher wages than they did last year in order to attract seasonal workers in the fourth quarter, according to the 2018 Annual Holiday Hiring Survey released today by Snag, a job board focused on hourly workers.

Employers expect the average hourly wage for seasonal workers to jump to $15.40 this year — up nearly 32% from $11.70 in 2017. Retail is leading the way in expected seasonal wage growth, jumping by as much as 54%, with hospitality companies forecasting increases of 51%, and restaurant wages rising about 33%.

In addition to paying more, employers began recruiting earlier than usual in order to attract talent; the number of companies that began recruiting in August or earlier more than doubled compared with last year.

Eighty-four percent of employers surveyed said they need extra workers this year, up from 77% in last year’s survey. The competition for skilled hourly employees is expected to be fierce, and 86% of employers say they will struggle to fill temporary seasonal positions. To attract workers, a majority of employers, 77%, reported they will offer perks and benefits including paid time off, training opportunities, childcare, tuition stipends, health insurance and transportation reimbursement.

The survey was conducted by Wakefield Research and included 1,000 employers with hiring responsibilities specifically targeting the nation’s retail, restaurant and hospitality industries.